Filppula has missed the past seven games for the Red Wings after suffering a shoulder injury against the Vancouver Canucks on Feb. 24. In his absence, Detroit has scored 10 goals and gone 3-2-2.

“We just got [Johan] Franzen back a few games ago. The difference between him and Fil [is] Fil was able to skate while he was injured, so obviously that’s a big boost for us,” Babcock said. “For [Henrik Zetterberg] to have someone to go with and Datsyuk to have someone to go with, I think that’s real important. We’ve been average offensively to say the least without those guys.”

Linemate Damien Brunner is excited to have Filppula back in the fold. The rookie center had no goals and three assists during Filppula's absence.

“He’s obviously a big guy for us and we’re happy he’s back and we hope he brings some offense in our game and scores some big goals,” he said.

Though Filppula’s back, the Red Wings will be without starting goaltender Jimmy Howard, who has fallen ill. Jonas Gustavsson will start in his place.

“Howard’s back at the hotel sick so Gus starts,” Babcock said.

Goaltending coach Jim Bedard strapped on the pads for the morning skate in Howard’s absence. But that doesn’t mean he’ll serve as a backup to Gustavsson.

“I don’t know what else we’d do,” Babcock said. “Jimmy B, our goaltending coach, he was good in the skate but we don’t need him on the bench tonight so Howie will go [as backup].”

He's only 17 but he can see the ice so well and he moves the puck and goes to the open ice all the time, so I just think he's a player that is ready to play in the NHL. I'm really looking forward to coaching someone like this.

— U.S. National Junior Team coach Ron Wilson on Auston Matthews, the projected No. 1 pick of the 2016 NHL Draft